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Bill Belichick, the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach and two-time champion assistant, reportedly missed out on becoming a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
The final list of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees will be released prior to Super Bowl LX. Belichick was among the nominees in a separate group from the modern players category, along with Ken Anderson, Roger Craig, LC Greenwood and Robert Kraft.
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New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick before the game against the Jets at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 21, 2019. (Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY Sports)
ESPN first reported that Belichick would not be entering the Hall of Fame this time around. The outlet reported, citing sources, that Belichick was “puzzled” and “disappointed” by the decision and that he wondered what more he had to do as a head coach to come in right away.
“Politics kept him out. He doesn’t believe this is a reflection of his performance,” another source told ESPN.
Former NFL players and fans were just as confused as the unnamed sources who spoke to the outlet.
“I can’t read this right,” wrote former Houston Texans star JJ Watt on X. “This has to be some knock-off Hall of Fame or something, it can’t be the actual NFL Hall of Fame. There’s not a single world at all where Bill Belichick shouldn’t be a First-Ballot Hall of Famer.”
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New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick during the first half against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on Oct. 21, 2018. (Mike DiNovo/USA TODAY Sports)
Pat McAfee added, “Bill Belichick is officially not a first ballot Pro Football Hall Of Famer. Bill Belichick … Bill Belichick could be in (GOAT) conversations for Coach AND GM and he is not a first ballot Hall Of Famer in the PRO FOOTBALL Hall Of Fame.”
More people also came in.
Belichick, who is currently the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels, was 302-165 in his career as a head coach between the Patriots and Cleveland Browns. He won six titles with Tom Brady as head coach of the Patriots before mutually parting ways with the franchise after the 2023 season.
He served as a defensive assistant under Bill Parcells with the New York Giants from 1979-1991. The team won two Super Bowls in that time.
He had a controversial ending with both the Browns and the New York Jets. The Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens under cover of darkness, essentially leaving the entire franchise in town. Set to take the Jets’ head coaching job, he pulled out at the last minute and decided to take the New England gig instead.
Bill Belichick watches the Miami Hurricanes play the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half of the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)
Belichick’s Patriots career wasn’t exactly sunshine and rainbows either. He was caught up in the Spygate and Deflategate scandals during his time. ESPN reported that the cheating scandals played a role in some voters’ decision about Belichick’s candidacy.
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Belichick’s coaching staff appeared to be as strong as ever. The Patriots return to the Super Bowl with Mike Vrabel at the helm. Vrabel won three titles under Belichick. Josh McDaniels, another Belichick staffer, also serves as the team’s offensive coordinator.
